Researchers create mosquitoes incapable of transmitting malaria. - Polidicks

[quote] [B]Mosquitoes bred to be unable to infect people with the malaria parasite are an attractive approach to helping curb one of the world's most pressing public health issues, according to UC Irvine scientists. [/B]--------------------------------------------------------------------- Anthony James and colleagues from UCI and the Pasteur Institute in Paris have produced a model of the [I][URL="http://phys.org/tags/anopheles/"]Anopheles[/URL] stephensi[/I] mosquito – a major source of malaria in India and the Middle East – that impairs the development of the [URL="http://phys.org/tags/malaria+parasite/"]malaria parasite[/URL]. These mosquitoes, in turn, cannot transmit the disease through their bites. "Our group has made significant advances with the creation of transgenic mosquitoes," said James, a UCI Distinguished Professor of microbiology & molecular genetics and molecular biology & biochemistry. "But this is the first model of a malaria vector with a genetic modification that can potentially exist in wild populations and be transferred through generations without affecting their fitness." More than 40 percent of the world's population lives in areas where there is a risk of contracting malaria. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 300 million to 500 million cases of malaria occur each year, and nearly 1 million people die of the disease annually – largely infants, young children and pregnant women, most of them in Africa. James said one advantage of his group's method is that it can be applied to the dozens of different mosquito types that harbor and transmit the [I]Plasmodium falciparum[/I] parasite, including those in Africa. Study results appear this week in the early online version of the [I]Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences[/I]. The researchers conceived their approach through mouse studies. Mice infected with the human form of malaria create antibodies that kill the parasite. James' team exploited the molecular components of this mouse immune-system response and engineered genes that could produce the same response in mosquitoes. In their model, antibodies are released in genetically modified mosquitoes that render the parasite harmless to others. "We see a complete deletion of the infectious version of the malaria parasite," said James, a member of the National Academy of Sciences. "This blocking process within the insect that carries malaria can help significantly reduce human sickness and death." He and his colleagues have pioneered the creation of genetically altered [URL="http://phys.org/tags/mosquitoes/"]mosquitoes[/URL]that limit the transmission of dengue fever, [URL="http://phys.org/tags/malaria/"]malaria[/URL] and other vector-borne illnesses. ---------------------------- Source: [URL]http://phys.org/news/2012-06-mosquitoes-incapable-transmitting-malaria.html[/URL] [/quote] Take that you pesky little fucks!

[QUOTE=LoLWaT?;36301818]Why the fuck... I'd rather they just get rid of mosquitoes. (There can't be any negative consequences to that... right?)[/QUOTE] They serve as food for other animals for example so there would be consequences if all mosquitoes just died out right. I wouldn't mind though.

[QUOTE=LoLWaT?;36301818]Why the fuck... I'd rather they just get rid of mosquitoes. (There can't be any negative consequences to that... right?)[/QUOTE] they're food for cool shit

mosquitos are also pollinators so if we flat out kill them all that wouldn't be a good idea

[QUOTE=LoLWaT?;36301818]Why the fuck... I'd rather they just get rid of mosquitoes. (There can't be any negative consequences to that... right?)[/QUOTE] ever heard of an ecosystem

[QUOTE=LoLWaT?;36301818]Why the fuck... I'd rather they just get rid of mosquitoes. (There can't be any negative consequences to that... right?)[/QUOTE] Male mosquitoes don't drink blood, and are important pollinators. Both sexes serve as food supplies for a number of animals, such as birds.

Glad research is starting to find some new methods of fighting it. Most people affected can not afford medication and the chemicals used to kill mosquitoes are harmful to people and other animals. Some places are still forced to use DDT. At least this is a start at fighting malaria without drastically changing the ecosystem.

I've seen this on a tv programme. He created a malaria vaccine for mosquitoes, and if these resistant ones will breed freely in some decades every mosquito will be resistant to the parasite and it will be extinct.

Pro: Can't carry malaria. Con: Three foot wingspan, no known weaknesses, infected with super-AIDS. GO, SCIENCE!

How will I play Far Cry 2 now?!

All future far cry games suddenly cancelled.

Now release them into the wild during mating season so that their new dna is widespread.

science creates beating club incapable of leaving bruises

Can't they make mosquitoes that drink fruit juice or something instead of blood?

Making them unable to spread malaria is one thing; the next step is to make them absolute fucking STALLIONS/NYMPHOS, so that other skeeters will find them irresistible, eschewing other normal skeeters to get with the malaria-immune ones. That way, future generations of skeeters would be less likely to give you malaria, since they'd most of them likely have the [Cannot Transmit Malaria] genes. Then again, are mosquitoes even capable of feeling lust? Also would they be able to make them unable to transmit dengue fever as well?

Oh, and we forgot to mention that the only way we could make them malaria proof was to make them twice as big. Sorry! :v:

Even though its a sarcastic remark above I can honestly say I wish there were bigger, bigger can mean less mosquitos and they would be far easier to spot if they hide away somewhere.

Read about this in Time about a year ago. Glad they got it finished.

Yes. Lets make more fucking mosquitoes.

[QUOTE=Fish Muffin;36304252]science creates beating club incapable of leaving bruises[/QUOTE] [IMG]http://i.istockimg.com/file_thumbview_approve/290885/2/stock-photo-290885-pool-noodles.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=soccerskyman;36310347][IMG]http://i.istockimg.com/file_thumbview_approve/290885/2/stock-photo-290885-pool-noodles.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] You have obviously not been trained in the ways of a noodle warrior.

Guys! Guys! I've got an idea! What about mosquitoes that instead viruses... injects to us medicine! Or vaccine! Then next huge problem of Africa would be folks addicted to mosquitoes.

Scientists create new mosquitoes with females that don't suck blood Go for it science

[QUOTE=LoLWaT?;36301818]Why the fuck... I'd rather they just get rid of mosquitoes. (There can't be any negative consequences to that... right?) [B]Edit:[/B] Okay people are now telling me that mosquitoes are an important part of the ecosystem.[/QUOTE] but i like me some fish

Now invent mosquitoes that don't fucking bite me.

Well, it seems the film Mosquito will soon be real. :v: But really, who wouldn't have explosive diarrhoea if a giant mosquito came flying at them?

[QUOTE=supersoldier58;36306832]Even though its a sarcastic remark above I can honestly say I wish there were bigger, bigger can mean less mosquitos and they would be far easier to spot if they hide away somewhere.[/QUOTE] No thanks I'll take more numerous smaller ones. Horse flys are bad enough.

Humanity, fucking nature in the ass since we first harnessed fire.

[QUOTE=Frankess;36322793]Guys! Guys! I've got an idea! What about mosquitoes that instead viruses... injects to us medicine! Or vaccine! Then next huge problem of Africa would be folks addicted to mosquitoes.[/QUOTE] Inject koolaid!